Lessons Learned from Post Godhra Riots

On last Saturday the big news was that SIT questioning Narendra Modi in connection to riots after Godhra train burning. I watched the mad coverage by media and debate between spokespersons of political parties. I think this is all waste of time and money. The real issue is not that was Modi involved in the riots? Even if we can punish the 60 people who were involved directly it is enough.

I think the real issue is this - Is Indian Police Prepared enough to handle communal violence ? If congress is really interested in solving problems, they should have done Police reforms after the riots. Police in any state in India is incapable of handling sensitive issues like riots or cases related to the politicians. And simple reason is that they are controlled by the politician. Police is not independent.

Lets compare what happens in 1984 and 2002. There is a gap of 18 years but there is a lot of similarity.
In 1984 Indira Gandhi was murdered in a well thought planned way by an Sikh person to revenge Operation Blue star. In 2002 a group of Muslims burnt 60 people who were coming from ayoudha to revenge the Babri masjid demolition.

After these incidents the riots started in the Delhi in 84 and Gujarat in 2002. Now the police in both the cases was incapable of handling the riots. Not because somebody asked them not to stop rioters, but they did not have enough force, ammunition, courage to stop the rioters. We keep blaming congress and BJP governments but never thought about real issue of Police reforms and modernization.

Ten militants came from Pakistan and killed hundreds of people. Did CM responsible for that? Yeah he is directly responsible for that because he did not modernize police force. The police men on VT station had decades old guns which they were firing bullets after 10-20 years. What a joke.

Even today in any state or in Delhi, if something like 1984 or 2002 incidents happen and have same reaction by group of people, I am sure Police can not handle it. It iss not the problem of BJP or Congress states or CM's or Narendra Modi, its Problem of Police modernization, reforms and making them independent.

I hope someday people will look at the real issue and act on it instead of just basing each other. For past few days in Hyderabad, the city where I live in, is having come communal disturbances. Hope police can control this before it grows into big riot.

Thanks
Sudhir

women reservation bill !!! is it only political reform required in India

Woman's bill may get passed through parliament. But is it going to solve the real problem in Indian Democracy? I think it might be required to have a quota in parliament for women but its not going to solve all the problems. We have seen in the past whenever the male leaders had difficulty in holding their position they get their wife in front to hold their seat for some time. Once there is quota what is going to happen

1. Once a seat becomes reserved, the current politician will put their wife, daughter or any other female relative. Is it this women empowerment this bill is trying to achieve?

2. Reserved seats will be only used by relatives of existing politicians. There will be very few new woman coming into politics.

I am not against the woman's participation in politics or against the quota. But I think its not enough. There is big need of reform in Indian Political system.

The biggest problem in Indian democracy is lack people participation. In politics there is so much of favoritism or you have smaller parties which are run like family business.

So what is solution? We need better internal democracy within parties. What does I mean by internal democracy is

1. The first and foremost is choosing the candidates in election. Every time we hear the news of parties selling the seats for money, criminals getting tickets, etc. And reason for all that happens because only top few people decides the candidates and not party workers. I think best way to decide actual candidate is that have a poll within party members who would be their candidate. This will bring true democracy and influence of money and power can be bring down.

2. We have too many political parties in India. Election commission should recognize political parties which are not having proper representation.

3. We should give more power to election commission. Let election commission keep records of each party database like who are party members and since when. After the Unique Id project, it will be easy to keep track. Then election commission can also facilitate the selection of candidates.

4. To get a ticket from a party, should have at least minimum period of membership in that party. so last minute people would not jump parties and buy tickets.

5. There should be some restriction on how many times one person can be chief minister or prime minister or MP/MLA. So that new people can come and replace them.

We definitely need to reform our political system in India now otherwise it will be too late. With woman reservation bill, political parties should discuss the reform process and change it. The way congress, BJP and left parties are together on woman quota bill, I think they should also try for political reforms.

Thanks
Sudhir